•𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐞•

9. Half sick of the Shadows

I woke up, I could tell it was early. My parents were asleep still, my mother next to me and my father on the armchair next to the window. He had a blanket thrown over him. For a split moment I wondered why they were here. Nevertheless, memories started coming yesterday, the moments before the moment I collapsed were clear, what happened afterwards was a blur that made me confuse.

I took a deep breath and sat up, I felt a bit dizzy, lightheaded. I shuddered as I felt cold, so I pulled the blanket over me. "Linette?" I heard, it was my mother, she probably felt my motions to the mattress.

"Yes mom?" I whispered , I looked at her and she sat up to be next to me. She pulled me in a hug and kissed my cheek. It felt nice as I wrapped my arms around her figure tightly or at least this is how I felt my muscles.

"How are you feeling my love?" she asked me and hugged me back immediately and kissed my hair repeatedly. Her voice was raspy as she was still washed with sleepiness.

"Numb, exhausted..." I sighed and rested my head on her chest, her heartbeat made me feel better.

"Take your time, sweetheart" My mom's voice helped me do so. We didn't speak, she only covered me up to my shoulders as she hugged me, letting me wake up on my own pace. Her breath was steady and I didn't know how much time passed.

"Dare to cuddle without me?" I heard my fathers' voice and I felt his figure move, then smelt his cologne. Once I opened my eyes I saw him kneeled next to us and I smiled tiredly.

"We do dare Will." My mom chuckles. Her finger tangled in my hair. My dad leaned in and kissed my forehead.

"How are you Lina?" he asked me, his voice soft laced with tiredness.

"A bit better" I smiled with no further movement from hugging my mother.

"Good, because you have to eat, at least something... I will go wake the kids and ask for the breakfast to be served." My father spoke and I shrugged.

"Fine" I spoke as his expression didn't allow me to disagree with him. I felt my moms belly let a breath of relief now that a conflict wouldn't follow. Conflicts with me and my father were awful and hard, I didn't like fighting with him and he didn't either this is why they were rare. He left the room and my mom let me for some moments before she realized I wouldn't remove myself from the embrace.

"Lets brush the hair for beginning?" she asked me and I nodded.

My mother and I picked a pastel fussia dress, it was up to my neck as I was cold still. It was layered with vales as some of them had white designs of flowers on their edges, I wore casual small- heeled shoes as my mom styled my hair into two braids that were tucked one to another. I added some pink eye shadow following the instructions Anna had given me.

~

We rode the carriage and my father scanned me Luce and mom, his smile got bigger, I smiled confused until Lucie spoke what I was to ask. "Why are you smiling like that?" she spoke fixing her skirt.

"Is it bad to admire my three beautiful girls?" He asked with a sigh and rolled my eyes. I didn't understand why he seemed so cheerful.

"Oh of course you can love. Thank you." Mom spoke and I looked at James who was smiling too.

"What about me papa? Isn't your son handsome." James whined he faked to be hurt, the drama in his voice had me facepalm.

"Oh aren't you a vision?" my dad chuckled and cupped his face mockingly. "Just like me in your age." He added.

"I look more like you, that's unfair." I spoke up with a raised eyebrow.

"It's a twin thing. Even though I doubt dad had braids and glitter." James spoke with fake disgust as he looked at me.